From catwalks to music videos, from the red carpet to the high street, tattoos and body piercings have become the accessory for the bold and the beautiful. Done right, you too can add a cool, unique twist to your look. But, unlike a bad hair cut, if you get it wrong you'll be stuck with the results... forever.
First things first, body modification is not for the faint hearted and will make a permanent change to your looks. Be it some new body jewellery, a tattoo, or even breast implants, be prepared for some pain and a recovery period.
Body Jewellery
Ever since Britney Spears sashayed her bare midriff into our lives the pierced belly button has become big news. In low cut jeans, a bikini, or even in the buff, a sparkling jewel can add that extra something. But beware, belly button rings only look good with a toned tummy, and are notorious for catching on clothes -ouch!
Either a fascination with all things Bollywood, or a longing for teenage kicks has led to a rise in nose piercings. The nostril is the most common, perfect if you want to give off a spiritual vibe. The pierced septum, Scarlett Johansson's fave, is leaning more towards punk, and jewellery in the bridge of your nose is still firmly the stuff of the subversive.
Pierced lips, tongues, and eye brows are also an option, as is the Monroe, a small sparkler in the place of that famous beauty spot.
If this sounds a bit tame for you, there's always the nipple, a la Janet Jackson and Christina Aguilera, or even, erm... down below. According to the origin of the Prince Albert even those uptight Victorians got in on the act!
And listen up men, it's not just the ladies who are getting in on the act. With sport personalities like David Beckham and rap and rock stars dripping themselves in 'ice', guys are just as likely to indulge and body jewels as their female counterparts.
Getting Inked
With heavily tattooed celebs like Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp leading the way, along with the success of the Inked, and Miami Ink TV series, tattooing has never been more popular. Tribal tattoos, as worn by Robbie Williams, are by far the most common, followed by a cross tattoo, a butterfly, stars and Britney's lower back tattoo of choice - the fairy.
But if you're thinking of getting inked, don't follow the crowd and get an off-the-peg 'flash' tattoo design, take time to pick the right one for you. Once you have an idea of what you are after, find a good tattoo artist and discuss the design. They'll be able to adapt the image a make it perfect for your body.
Sure, Angelina always looks elegant with her tattoos on display. But let’s face it, we're not all Angelina. Have a serious think about how your tattoos or piercing will look on all occasions. It'll look great on a night out, or on holiday, will it work so well in an evening dress? Or how about a job interview? What about in 30 years time when your skin isn't so tight? How will Amy Winehouse look at 50? Hmm, that's a lot to think about in one go.
Piercings can be removed if you change your mind, but removing a tattoo is a hell of a lot harder than getting one done. For this reason always think it through beforehand, and please, please don't ink on your new lover's name - even our Ange has fallen for that mistake.
